Joe Williams on the NYC Mayoral Race
STOP THE PRESSES!!! This op ed by DFER’s Joe Williams is a MUST READ. In commenting on the NYC mayoral race and the UFT’s endorsement, he nails big issues that are present everywhere in the country:
It is now clear that even if Thompson pulls a massive come-from-behind victory, it will be mostly because of his own political handiwork, not any magic UFT pixie dust.
How did this 135,000-strong union go from political powerhouse to house under foreclosure?
For years, lazy political pundits have promoted a storyline that suggests the endorsement of the UFT is so highly sought-after that candidates of all stripes should twist themselves into pandering pretzels to win the nod.
That notion is a generation out of date. When legendary UFT leaders like Al Shanker hugged their candidate of choice, it was believable that tens of thousands of rank-and-file teachers, not
to mention working New Yorkers, would follow suit at the polls.
The world has changed. Let us count the ways.
posted by Whitney Tilson at 10:31 AM
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